Letter to the Editor: Reader wonders who makes decision on WSI coverage?

Fargo North Dakota 101 5th Street North 58102

Letter to the editor:

I am writing in response to what Judy Lee stated at the District 13 Forum that "WSI is the employer's money." I was an injured worker whose injury was covered by WSI. This injury left me was some muscle problems. I was able to keep the spasms under control. Then one day at work, I was not able to stop it. This muscle is over my heart, so it acted like I was having a heart attack. The EMT that was on duty that day was the same one who was there when the initial injury occurred. She believed it to be a spasm, but had to treat it like a heart attack. I was sent to the ER. I was checked over and it was agreed that it was just a spasm. Two weeks later I was informed that the trip to the emergency room will not be cover by WSI. My employer had told WSI it was not work related. The EMT even stated that it was from the original injury. I was told I would have to run the ER bill though my Blue Cross Blue Shield insurance. So who makes the decisions on what is covered? In my case, the employer did. Is this what she meant by her statement "The employer's money?" That employers can say what benefits WSI should cover. I am sure that this kind of action leads to higher insurance rate for everyone. Also, she claimed that WSI benefits for the employees were restored to their 1997 level. Please tell me when this happened?